Senior US officials brace for Assad regime's collapse

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Good evening I'm -- -- to bombings one in the Syrian capital Damascus the other.

At a resort in Bulgaria have an entire region on high alert tonight.

First Syria.

There is speculation the government there could fall in the next few hours this follows an attack on the very heart of president Bashar -- -- inner circle.

We begin tonight with chief Washington correspondent James Rosen at the State Department.

Rebel advances in the capital of Damascus included the most stunning development yet in serious sixteen month uprising a bomb blast reportedly the work of the Free Syrian Army and aided by sympathizers inside the regime that decimated a top level meeting of the Syrian cabinet killing among others the defense minister seen here at screen right and the deputy defence minister president Bashar all -- brother in law.

This is it be decisive day.

For the Syrian uprising.

And it is also an irreparable loss for the Asad regime.

It's now a matter of time.

Nobody thought that the Free Syrian Army was capable of getting inside a three story building.

That is the hard at the national security apparatus of the regime this regime -- been decapitated.

Except for the president himself.

The whereabouts of assault himself -- unknown and no one could say how long he would hold onto power.

At the White House President Obama telephoned Russian president Vladimir Putin's aides said the two agreed on the need to support a political transition as soon as possible.

Indeed Fox News has confirmed its senior US officials are now bracing for the prospect of -- falling.

Or regime control of Damascus collapsing on a much swifter timetable than previously contemplated.

Even one as short as 36 hours.

-- from situation that is rapidly spinning out of control.

And for that reason it's extremely important.

You have to the international community.

Will come with other countries that have concerns in -- -- have to bring maximum pressure.

On -- -- -- to do what's right to step down and to allow for that peaceful transition we.

Call on our friends.

And our partners internationally to recognize fit.

Aside it is.

A spent force just in terms of history he will not be a part serious future.

At the United Nations -- plan to vote on a new Security Council resolution was deferred until Thursday western intelligence agencies armed with sketchy information.

Look for signs of more high level defections and continued rebel momentum.

We've seen other indications that he's now -- maintains a control over the armed forces generally he could decide however to try to mount a -- -- even using things like chemical weapons.

And -- could extend the bloodshed does quite a bit longer with the.

President -- whereabouts still a mystery US officials have begun preparing for the -- -- -- with three games first securing his stockpiles of conventional and chemical weapons.

But then also determining who the most viable opposition leaders might be.

And convincing them that America stood with them in their time of struggle with more than just rhetoric.

Brad James -- live the State Department tonight we'll head back pretty breaking details change that.

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Senior US officials brace for Assad regime's collapse

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